1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a control method of a printing device, and a printing device.
2. Related Art
Printing devices (printers) that convey label paper (recording media) having labels affixed at a constant interval to a liner (backing paper) and print on the labels, and detect the gap between liner and the labels with a sensor while conveying the label paper are known from the literature. See, for example, JP-A-2008-238484. Some printers such as described in JP-A-2008-238484 that detect the gap between the liner and labels also detect the label interval (the interval at which labels are affixed) based on the detected gap, and based on the detected label interval determine if an error has occurred, such as if the correct type of label paper is not loaded or if the label paper is not being conveyed normally. The printer normally stops printing if it is determined that an error occurred because printing normally may not be possible.
Some printers that convey and print on paper with black marks preprinted at a specific interval detect the mark interval, which is the interval between one black mark and the next, with a sensor while conveying the paper. Based on the detected mark interval, some printers of this type determine if an error has occurred, such as if the correct type of marked paper is loaded or if the marked paper is conveyed normally, based on the detected mark interval. When an error is detected, the printer stops printing because normal printing may not be possible.
The label interval on a single length of label paper is a specific constant length, and the mark interval on a single length of marked paper is also a specific constant length. However, the manufacturer or the user may splice together different pieces of label paper or marked paper, and after splicing, the label interval or the mark interval may differ from the specified interval length where the paper is spliced. When such spliced paper is used for printing, the printers cited above will reliably detect an error and stop printing. There is, therefore, a need for a printer to execute an appropriate process so that printing does not stop unnecessarily and enable the printer to continue printing normally when spliced paper is used.